


An Unexpected Corner of the World

by K_Hanna_Korossy



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-31
Updated: 2016-01-31
Packaged: 2018-05-17 08:05:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5860834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/K_Hanna_Korossy/pseuds/K_Hanna_Korossy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teal'c has to deal with an emergency alone on a world he barely knows: Earth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Unexpected Corner of the World

First published in  _Chaapa’ai 2_ (2005)

 

“I do not understand, O’Neill. Why does engaging in combat result in the removal of the player from the game?”

“It’s not removal, Teal’c, just a penalty—they have to sit out the next minute or two. They’re not supposed to fight.”

Teal’c walked alongside O’Neill, his hands behind his back as he contemplated the Tau’ri’s answer, ignoring the departing crowd swirling around them. “Then why did you call out encouragement to these players while they were fighting?”

O’Neill gave him a predatory grin. “It’s more fun that way.”

Teal’c grimaced. “I do not understand this game.”

“Yeah, well, we’ll come again next week—you’ll get the hang of it.”

Teal’c repressed a shudder. There were aspects of Tau’ri life that were proving to be extremely pleasurable, while others merely perplexed. Some, however, would never be appealing to him, Teal’c was certain, and “hockey” was in this category. There seemed no way of telling O’Neill without insult, however, and so Teal’c had resigned himself to future exposure as best he could...at the game the week before. Or was it the one before that?

The crowd thinned as people located and boarded their various personal vehicles, and Teal’c himself climbed into O’Neill’s truck and fastened the belt of the seat in preparation for return to the SGC. At the very least such excursions did allow him another glimpse of the alien world he now allied himself with, and the people who populated it. They never ceased to fascinate him, from the multi-colored hair of the young male in the next row, to the obese woman struggling to fit into her vehicle. The Tau’ri truly were among the most diverse people he’d ever seen. O’Neill had promised to show him more, too, and Teal’c anticipated the opportunity. Hopefully, one of these days such an introduction would even involve some area outside the arena in which were held these hockey competitions.

There was a great deal of waiting as the vehicles attempted to leave the large storage lot all at once and were sorted out much as sand flowing through a funnel. Flight capability would have aided this endeavor considerably, but the Tau’ri seemed curiously landlocked in their day-to-day life. Teal’c had not inquired as to why. Perhaps it was simply their way not to trust the air or waters as they did the land. Other planets had stranger customs.

O’Neill began to hum a tuneless arrangement, providing accompanying rhythm with his fingers on the steering wheel. Teal’c watched the performance in silence, one eyebrow raised. And then there were some things which he would never comprehend, no matter how much he tried.

The closely spaced habitations and marketplaces of the city quickly gave way to the freer woods and mountains, and Teal’c found himself breathing easier. He was no stranger to close quarters or crowds, but the unfamiliar smells and sights of the Tau’ri sometimes verged on the overwhelming, even more so when he considered this was his home now instead of Chulak. To not smell the _verdigan_ berries on the breeze, to not see the familiar starscapes of his childhood skies, to not feel the slightly heavier, comfortable pull of his home world’s gravity—who would have known such things would matter to one who had spent so little time at home those last many years? And yet they did. He missed them, in quiet moments of _Kelno’reem_ or almost-sleep.

But this was home now, and he would be at home in it. Someday.

Perhaps it was time to remind O’Neill once more of his promise to show Teal’c more of his world.

“You wanna find something on the radio you like?” O’Neill offered, nodding at the instrument panel between them.

Teal’c looked at him impassively.

“Right. What was I thinking? You mind if I look for something?”            

“Yes.” At least with O’Neill he could be honest without fear of reprisal. It was a sweet privilege he was still unused to.

And he secretly enjoyed the Tau’ri’s reactions when Teal’c did not answer as he expected. O’Neill made a face at him, muttered something under his breath that Teal’c was not sorry to miss, and returned to producing his own rhythm, unperturbed. Little perturbed the human, truly, which was as a military commander should be. It was one of the many things Teal’c had come to respect in him.

Movement flashed in front of the car. Teal’c caught a glimpse of a great brown shape with elegant horns.

The vehicle wrenched alarmingly at the same moment. O’Neill shouted something amidst the sound of wrenching metal.

And then the world spun.

Screeching metal, a cry, lurching vertigo. In the manner of most crises, it was over quickly after a seeming eternity of confusion. One minute they had been driving on the empty, wooded road, the next, Teal’c hung, suspended by his belt, in a vehicle that had turned on its side.

With O’Neill crumpled below him, bloodied and still.

“O’Neill!” Teal’c struggled to reach the man, his fingers just grazing his coat. Too far; he could not reach as long as he was restrained.

Teal’c skimmed the area around him. A handle, there above his window, now above his head. Teal’c grabbed it, lifting himself fractionally while he struggled with the restraining belt. It did not yield easily, but with all his weight no longer resting on it, it finally opened. He tightened his grip to keep from falling, and instead sought purchase for his feet someplace where O’Neill wasn’t.

There. He could prop one foot against the base of the steering wheel, and the other Teal’c jammed against the side of O’Neill’s seat. Now he could be of assistance.

Assuming the man was still alive.

“O’Neill,” he said more quietly this time, but still there was no response. The Tau’ri had taken the brunt of their impact with the beast, as well as of the overturning vehicle. His belt had snapped and he lay crumpled against the far window, as limp as one who was dead. Blood coated the side of his face that Teal’c could see, and there was no sound of breath except for Teal’c’s own.

The tremble in his hand surprised him as Teal’c reached for O’Neill’s wrist, encircling it in a gentle grip. And felt the throb of life beneath, a sign of life the Tau’ri shared with the Jaffa.

The flush of deep relief inside him was also unexpected. Of course, O’Neill’s death while alone with Teal’c would have jeopardized his place with the Tau’ri, especially with his defection still so new and scarcely proven. He had every reason to hope O’Neill was not badly injured.

But that was not the real source of his relief.

There was no time for reflection now, however. Without attention, O’Neill could still die, and he would not receive such where he was.

Teal’c braced himself against the footholds he’d found. With careful movements, he disentangled O’Neill from the wreckage of the vehicle frame and his seat, having to stop once to pry loose the twist of metal that trapped his leg, then lifted the limp body over his shoulder. Finding new handholds, Teal’c reached up once more and opened the latch of his door. It squeaked a protest and required a hard shove, but he was finally able to thrust it open. A minute later he was climbing out of the vehicle, sparing the dead beast lying beside it a single regretful glance, and then laying O’Neill gently onto the grass that lined the side of the dark road.

There was no tension in the human’s muscles, nothing to say there was still life in his body except for the continuing beat of his heart when Teal’c again checked, and the shallow rise and fall of his chest now that he lay flat. And the blood that continued to flow from the wound on the side of his head.

This, at least, he could help. Pulling off his coat, Teal’c tore off an arm with one yank, then laid the garment over the injured man. The sleeve, he folded into a pad, which he pressed against the bleeding injury.

O’Neill still did not react.

Teal’c set his jaw and looked for further injury. Bones in the Tau’ri’s chest grated against Teal’c’s fingers, as in the man’s left arm, the one that had lain underneath him in the vehicle. His legs, surprisingly, seemed intact, only a long scratch bleeding sluggishly on the one that had been trapped in the warped metal frame. There was no blood from the ears or the mouth, signs of more serious injury inside, nor did the skull feel broken to Teal’c’s touch. If this was the extent of O’Neill’s injuries, perhaps they had been fortunate indeed.

Assuming Teal’c could find assistance for him before the cold and loss of blood took a lethal toll. It had not been his place to attend the injured when he served Apophis, and Captain Carter or O’Neill took care of such duties when they were on missions. Instinct in such matters beyond his experience would only serve him so far, Teal’c knew.

He glanced both ways up and down the road, seeing neither man nor vehicle in either direction. On other excursions with O’Neill, sometimes they went great distances without seeing others, and the late hour would not help. He could carry the Tau’ri, certainly, but in what direction and for what distance? The SGC was certainly still far, and O’Neill….

Teal’c looked down again at the pale face, and felt unfamiliar grief. This Tau’ri should have been nothing more than his superior, another in a series of commanders, yet he had drawn out of Teal’c both a loyalty and an affection he had not felt for another since Master Bra’tac. O’Neill had recently even called him “friend.” Teal’c had said nothing but…he did not disagree.

He could not let his superior die, but he would not let a friend die.

Was there not some method of contacting others for help? They had brought no radio with them, not unless one counted the one-way source of noise in O’Neill’s vehicle, but perhaps…was there not another device the Tau’ri often carried which they used to talk? He’d seen Captain Carter and Daniel Jackson both use such a device in the past. Perhaps in O’Neill’s pockets… Teal’c began to feel each carefully, switching hands on the bandage he held to check both sides.

“Lookin’…for change?” a voice quietly slurred.

Teal’c’s eyes flashed back to O’Neill’s face. To the half-open eyes that watched him with ill-hidden pain and that relentless irreverence, and suddenly felt he could breathe unimpaired again. “O’Neill. It is good to see you awake,” Teal’c said with a slight smile.

“Yeah…same here.” He tried very briefly to move, giving it up with a deep groan before Teal’c could stop him. “What happened?” O’Neill whispered.

“Your vehicle struck a beast that appeared in the road. You were injured in the collision.”

O’Neill’s eyes had wandered over and found the beast, and sorrow trickled into them. He murmured in a remorseful tone what Teal’c knew to be a curse, then rolled his head painfully back to look at the Jaffa. “You okay?”

Teal’c opened his mouth to answer, then realized he had not considered that before. A quick self-check revealed some bruises and scratches but nothing serious. “I am unharmed.”

“Good…that’s good…” O’Neill’s attention seemed to wander briefly before he grimaced and looked at Teal’c again. What clarity of mind he had was fading and they both knew it. “Any…help comin’?”

Teal’c braced himself to admit failure. “I have been unable to summon assistance as of yet.”

But there was no condemnation forthcoming; O’Neill seemed to have expected as much. “’s a phone…glove compartment. Green button…” He blinked heavily, eyes going unfocused.

“O’Neill,” Teal’c said sternly, jerking the man’s attention back once more. “You are not wearing gloves.”

O’Neill’s mouth twisted into an attempt at a smile. “C’mpartment…inna dash…front of your seat. Not gloves…” He stiffened, face contorting with struggle and pain, fighting a battle Teal’c, for once, could not fight with him.

But he wished fruitlessly he could bear some measure of it in his friend’s place.

The worst of the suffering finally eased, leaving O’Neill looking white even in the thin moonlight. “Fun,” he said breathlessly. “Not ’xactly hockey, but…” He stared hard at Teal’c. “T—phone. Green button. Nine-one-one. Route one-fifteen. That’ll…” His grip loosened. “…that’ll…help…” His eyes shut again and he went limp.

Teal’c’s eyebrows drew together in a wince. They would need assistance, and quickly, but at least there was something he could do now to summon it. The bleeding from the wound in O’Neill’s temple had slowed, enough that Teal’c dared rolling his head to one side to trap the makeshift bandage against it, then he dashed for the overturned vehicle.

The compartment had sprung open from the collision, but the device O’Neill mentioned—the “fone”?—still remained inside. He grabbed it, returning to the injured man and crouching beside him to study the device.

Green button—ah. Teal’c pressed it, and was gratified to see the small window of the device light. Then, presumably, he was to push the buttons for the numerals nine, one, one. Daniel Jackson had taught him the icons of the Tau’ri, and Teal’c found them quickly and pressed them in rapid succession.

Nothing.

Was it already signaling? Or was there a certain speed or pressure that was required for them to work? No, Tau’ri devices were not usually so complex. Perhaps he had to merely push another button? A hesitation, then Teal’c took a chance and pressed the green button again.

A small tone sounded from the device, and hesitantly Teal’c held it closer to hear. Had not Captain Carter held it…so?

_“Nine-one-one—what is your emergency?”_

He had indeed been successful. There was no time for gratitude, however; Teal’c just hoped he was speaking into the correct part. “There has been an accident—my friend is injured.” Names could wait until later—he did not know who he was speaking to exactly, after all.

_“What’s your name?”_

So much for that. Teal’c cast around a moment—ah, television. “Raymond.”

_“Okay, Ray. Where are you?”_

“Route one-fifteen.”

_“Could you be more specific? Are you near anything?”_

He thought for a moment. “The Mountain.”

A sigh. _“Well, that’s still a little vague, Ray, but we’ll try to find you fast. Do you know what’s wrong with your friend?”_

“He has injured his head, arm, and chest.”

_“Is he conscious?”_

“He is not.”

_“Does he seem to be breathing okay?”_

“Yes.”

_“That’s good. Okay, just keep him warm, try not to move him, and help’ll be there soon.”_

O’Neill groaned again. Teal’c did not wait to hear more, snapping the device shut and bending over the man, but O’Neill’s eyes did not open this time. Perhaps he was saving his strength.

And perhaps in Teal’c’s time with the Tau’ri, he’d become an idealistic fool.

His expression did not change as he settled softly onto the ground next to his friend, silently keeping watch, and hope.

 

It took less time than he’d expected, and more than he’d wished.

Teal'c’s head came up at the first sound of the distant siren, and he stood as the sound grew louder. Surely this was assistance and not some new menace, although in truth he was uncertain. Could such an alarm herald something good? Teal’c moved silently between O’Neill and the road, just in case.

A distant flashing light appeared, followed by another and then a third. Teal’c stood his impassive ground as the vehicles approached, muscles bunched in preparation to take defensive action if needed.

A red cross became visible on the side of the second vehicle, a symbol he’d seen on the uniforms of those who worked with Doctor Fraiser, as well. This was help, thank the True God. Teal’c relaxed a fraction and stepped closer to the road to make himself more visible.

The vehicles, one smaller than O’Neill’s, two much larger, and all with flashing lights, pulled up beside him.

Two men in uniforms not unlike those of the SGC infirmary, immediately poured out of the vehicle with the cross on it and went directly to O’Neill. Teal’c stepped aside to let them pass, watching carefully as they began their treatment. It looked similar to the actions of Doctor Fraiser’s team, and Teal’c eased his stance a little further.

“Are you Raymond?”

Others in uniform had come up to him in the meantime, with weapons at their side. Teal’c eyed them more warily, not recognizing their attire from the SGC. “I am.”

“You have any ID?” the same man asked, probably the leader.

“I am unfamiliar with this word,” Teal’c said neutrally. Was this a superior of General Hammond? He didn’t know how to respond, and wished again O’Neill were aware enough to guide him.

Or just that O’Neill were aware.

His questioner frowned. “ID—Identification. Driver’s license, school ID, something?”

There was his mark as First Prime of Apophis, but Teal’c did not think that was what the man was asking for. “I do not.”

The Tau’ri’s eyes narrowed with distrust. “How ’bout your buddy there?” he indicated O’Neill.

“Yes.”

One of the men working on O’Neill interrupted. “Do you know if your friend’s allergic to anything?”

Allergic? Teal’c frowned in confusion. Was that not Daniel Jackson’s condition? O’Neill did not take medication as the younger man did, but… “I do not.”             

“You wanna tell me his name?” The first man drew his attention back with what even Teal’c could tell was exaggerated patience.

Did he want to—ah. Teal’c recognized such a non-question from his experience with O’Neill. They wished his name, but Teal’c hesitated. Could he trust these men with that much? He did not understand many of their questions, let alone their ways. But then, O’Neill himself seemed to give his name freely to his enemies, and Teal’c had to speak for them both now. He made his decision. “O’Neill.”

The man wrote it on a pad. “That’s it? O’Neill? No first name?”            

Teal’c inclined his head. “Daniel Jackson calls him ‘Jack.’”

The man was eyeing him suspiciously. “Right. So, Ray, what happened here?”

“A beast came out of the woods and struck the car.”

“O’Neill was driving?”

“Yes.”

“You pull him out of the truck or did he get thrown?”

“It was I.”

A shake of the head. “You know, you’re not supposed to do that. Hey, you sure you don’t have anything on you at all?”

“Is not my attire sufficient?” Teal’c asked, more confused than ever. He’d even found the hat O’Neill had him wear outside the base and had put it on again while he’d waited for help to arrive. And why should he not have pulled O’Neill out from the wreckage? How could he leave a teammate so? What kind of people would expect him to?

“Very funny. What about a wallet, wiseguy?”

“My name is not ‘Wiseguy,’ nor do I have a ‘wallet,’ only this.” He pulled out the card Daniel Jackson had given him, “in case of emergency.” This seemed to qualify.

The man took it and read it, his expression altering significantly as he did. “You’re with NORAD? You should’ve said so from the beginning. Same with your friend?”

Teal’c had no idea what _NORAD_ was, but he trusted Daniel Jackson. “Indeed.”

The man nodded briskly. “All right, we’ll call your guys on the way in. Hey, Charlie,” he craned past Teal’c. “He ready for transport yet?”

“Just about,” Charlie called back. There was a fresh dressing now on O’Neill’s head, and his arm was also wrapped in something that held it stiff. Teal’c watched as they lifted him carefully onto a bed with wheels and covered him with a blanket. Charlie reached Teal’c’s coat out to him. “This yours, sir?”

He took it with a silent nod of thanks. The air had grown colder without his noticing.

Charlie took a harder look at him. “Are you hurt anywhere?”

“I do not require assistance. Please attend to O’Neill.”

The man smiled at him kindly. “Your friend’s gonna be just fine—couple of broken bones, concussion, but otherwise looks like he got lucky. Some of these deer strikes can really mangle a car, and the driver.”

Dear—beloved? Did they name thus the beast that lay beside the road? The death of such a beautiful creature grieved him, but Teal’c prayed silently they had not also broken a taboo of the planet by accidentally killing it. The other uniformed man examining it with his portable light seemed saddened, however, not angry, and Teal’c finally turned away, resigned. “Indeed.”

“Okay, Ray, let’s go,” the man who had interrogated him pulled at his sleeve. “We’ll follow your friend to the hospital.”

Hospital? A house of healing? Teal’c had thought they would go to the SGC, but perhaps this was closer. He knew of no physicians beside Doctor Fraiser and Doctor Warner, but presumably these who were not warriors would be as proficient in their craft. O’Neill had told him to request their help, after all.

He bowed his head in thanks to the man in uniform, and let himself be ushered into the smaller vehicle with the flashing lights, watching as they put O’Neill into the one with the red cross. And hoped he would not regret this.

Another minute, and they turned back the way he and O’Neill had come, sirens once more rending the quiet night as they sped down the road faster than O’Neill usually traveled. They left his vehicle and the dead “dear” in their wake. And the SGC.

He would not have admitted it to any as he sat in that strange vehicle among the strange Tau’ri, but not since he’d stepped out of the Chaapa’ai into the world of the Tau’ri for the first time, a _shol’va_ without home, had Teal’c felt so utterly adrift and alone.

 

The trip was shorter than the distance he and O’Neill had traveled before their unfortunate meeting with the dear, and it was not long before they turned into a completely unfamiliar area. Teal’c watched carefully, trying to note the turns and landmarks in case he was required to find his way back.

A large building with brightly lit transparent walls of glass seemed to be their destination. The vehicle Teal’c was riding in pulled up beside the one that had transported O’Neill, and he leaned forward to watch as several Tau’ri in white uniforms came out of the building and escorted O’Neill’s wheeled bed inside. Teal’c immediately got out of the vehicle to follow.

“Hey, wait!”

The call came from behind him, the man who had questioned him out on the road, but Teal’c ignored it. In a building of such size he could easily lose O’Neill, and Teal’c had no intention of doing so now.

The room inside was large and equally bright. A high, circular table stood in the center, open in the middle, and around the edge of the room there were curtained cubicles, some drawn, others open. Teal’c caught the glimpse of a white-gowned occupant in one before he reached the one they were taking O’Neill into, only a few steps behind the escort.

A small female in white and pink suddenly stepped in front of him, barring his path. “Sir, you can wait right over there.”

He did not even follow her gesture, his eyes on the bed as it disappeared behind the curtain. “I must stay with O’Neill.”

“Sir, you have to wait over there. There isn’t room in here for you, and you’ll get in the way of us doing our job. You wouldn’t want that, right?”

The kindness-wrapped iron in her voice broke through his concentration, and Teal’c blinked at her. Odd that this small, fair-skinned Tau’ri woman reminded him of his mother. But what she said was logical and, indeed, what he had also heard before from Doctor Fraiser. Teal’c slowly inclined his head.

“Good. Someone will come tell you what’s going on as soon as possible. Why don’t you go wash up first and then have a seat and wait for your friend?”

Teal’c frowned; was it his distraction or more Tau’ri expressions that made her so difficult to understand? “Wash up?” he repeated blankly. And taking a seat somewhere—were they requesting his assistance in treating O’Neill?

The woman, thankfully, did not grow angry at his incomprehension; Teal’c had an idea she would be a formidable force if crossed. “Over there in the bathroom. You might want to wash your hands,” she said with gentleness.

Teal’c glanced down at his hands, and saw the dried blood for the first time. It was not the first time the blood of a fellow warrior had clung to his hands, but this was not a battlefield. He solemnly nodded his thanks to the woman, and crossed over to the door she had directed him to.

This place was as bright as the other room, but blessedly quieter, and the smells less foreign. Teal’c took a deep, calming breath, longing silently for the opportunity to _Kelno’reem_ , then put the thought away as insignificant. He was here for a purpose, then he would return to wait for O’Neill.

The sinks at least he knew, and Teal’c gratefully stepped up to the nearest one. Except…where were the knobs that controlled their flow? He frowned—were there no uniformities on this planet at all? The one button turned loosely but produced no water, and the rest were the same.

Frustration suddenly welled up in him. O’Neill had been injured seriously, Teal’c had no way to reach those he knew he could trust for his care, and even such a simple task as cleaning his hands was proving to be impossible. What had ever possessed him to join such a backwards people?! Did they not see he was a young bird out of its nest here?

_“I can save these people! Help me.”_

That was why. That was why Teal’c had abandoned his “god” and family and home, for the promise of the Tau’ri who lay injured close by. Not just of an ally to fight the Goa’uld, although that would have been enough, but also of a new life. Eventually even a home and a surprising friendship.

One he was helpless now to shield.

Teal’c’s jaw clenched and he slammed his fist down on the useless knob that would not allow him to at least wash the blood of his friend from his hands.

Water gushed from the pipe.

Startled, Teal’c jerked his hand back. The water flowed a few seconds longer, then just as he inched his hands toward it, stopped. What trick was this? Or perhaps pushing instead of twisting was required? Teal’c pressed firmly down again on the knob.

Water. Teal’c grimaced faintly at the mechanism and briefly hung his head. Bra’tac would not have been proud of his loss of temper at such a simple obstacle. How could he exist among the Tau’ri if he could not divine even how such a simple device functioned?

Then again, what choice did he have?

Teal’c washed his hands until the red that rimmed them was completely gone, pushing the knob again each time the water stopped, and dried himself with the paper provided. Another deep breath, and he walked out into the bright room of treatment.

“Hey, Ray.”

He took two more steps toward the row of chairs before remembering he was “Ray.” Teal’c stopped and turned with hidden reluctance to face the approaching uniformed man.

“So nice of you to pay attention. We reached your people—they said a Doctor Carter and Doctor Jackson are on their way. I told them they didn’t have to do that—the staff here’s the best—but they insisted.” A pointed look. “They didn’t seem sure who you were, though, but they said you should wait here for ’em here.”

Teal’c ignored the suspicion in the man’s tone and face, feeling only new relief. Captain Carter and Daniel Jackson would know how to deal with this world and what was best for O’Neill, far better than he. “I shall do so,” he answered the man in uniform, and sat down in one of the chairs the Tau’ri woman had shown him.

The man still watched him, slowly shaking his head. “I know there’s more going on here than you’re saying, but yeah, I know, military secret. If that weren’t your friend lying in there, I’d run you down to the station anyway, keep an eye on you there until your people got their story straight and came to claim you.” He bent over before Teal’c, his eyes sharp and knowing. “But I know you’re worried about him, so you get a pass this time, but you try anything, and that changes, got it?”

“Indeed,” Teal’c said quietly. The man knew he was worried about O’Neill?

“Fine.” A terse nod. “See you later, ‘Ray’.” He strode off.

_Your friend lying in there._

There had been a planet, Talos, where the opposition to Apophis had been organized and fierce. They had finally quelled it, but not before many Jaffa were injured, including another who had trained at Teal’c’s side since childhood, Ani’c. Teal’c had seen Ani’c carried off after the battle, had known he was still alive and had desired to go after him to see how he fared. Only a simple curtain had separated him from—

_Your friend lying in there._

\--but Apophis had other orders for him. Teal’c had never seen Ani’c again, nor had been able to find anyone who knew what became of him. It had been just one of the cankers that had eaten away at the mask of his “god,” but it was one of the deepest. But even then there had been no talk of friendship or concern for another, no acknowledgement of any bond greater than that of duty, or that Teal’c might have cared whether Ani’c lived or died.

Here, a hostile Tau’ri had observed and expected no less.

And _that_ was why Teal’c was stumbling through this unfamiliar planet with its strange ways and alien people, to sit there humbly in an uncomfortable chair and wait alone for news of his friend.

“Hello.”

The voice came from his left, where he’d earlier registered the presence of another, and then ignored it as non-threatening. He turned now to examine the speaker and saw his assessment was correct. It was only an elderly female, her hair and her skin white, her skin deeply wrinkled, her eyes a faded green. But they regarded him back with interest and kindness, and he allowed himself a small smile in return.

“You’re waiting for somebody, too?”

Little talk, he believed Daniel Jackson had called it, designed to pass the time and provide social connection. “I am,” Teal’c affirmed, then realized the same social convention required him to reciprocate. “Are you as well?”

She clasped her hands together in her lap, a Tau’ri sign of disquiet he recognized from those at the SGC who were uncomfortable around him. Her fear, however, was not of him. “Yes, my son. There was a fire in his apartment building and, well, he’s always been a deep sleeper. They said they brought him here, but I haven’t heard anything else yet.”

Teal’c noticed now her clothing, a rumpled coat pulled over night clothes such as he’d seen on a recent shopping excursion with O’Neill, long and loose and white. Her hair was also in disarray, as though hastily assembled. And he couldn’t help but feel sympathy for this elder roused from her bed by ill news. “Have you been here long?” he inquired quietly.

“Oh, about two hours now.” She tried to smile. “They do say no news is good news, right?”

“Who is ‘they’?” Teal’c asked.

This time her smile was successful. “You’re right, it’s not worth much, is it? But I guess I keep hoping because…well, what else is there to do besides that and pray, right? I am…content God’s will be done, but my mother’s heart can’t help but hope he’ll be all right.”

A mother’s heart. Some things transcended even distant cultures. “As do I,” Teal’c said quietly.

She smiled at him again, this time more softly, and reached over to pat his arm. It felt strange and comfortable at the same time. “Thank you, that’s kind of you. But you must have enough worries of your own—are you here for a family member?”

“A friend.” It came more naturally than “teammate.”

She nodded. “That’s good—I’m sure it means a lot to him.”

He had no response to that.

They sat in silence that was a little less lonely for being shared.

Tau’ri in white passed by, mostly females, rarely giving them a glance. The one in pink he’d spoken to hurried past twice but always looked too occupied to be disturbed. Teal’c settled for watching the drawn curtain of the area they had taken O’Neill into.

An older male in a white coat finally approached, stopping in front of Teal’c’s companion. “Mrs. Grayson?”

“Yes?” she looked up at him, her hand moving to Teal’c’s arm as if seeking strength.

“Would you come with me, please? I’ll take you to your son and I can fill you in on the way.”

Her gasp was tiny, but Teal’c heard it, and felt her hand tighten before she turned to look at him with water-filled eyes. He gave her a nod he hoped was kind, and gently took her hand from his arm and supported it as she stood.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“You are most welcome. May your son recover quickly.”

“Your friend, too.” One more radiant smile, and she walked away with slow steps beside the doctor.

Teal’c watched her until she disappeared through the doors on the far end of the room, then returned to his silent observation of the room around him.

And straightened fractionally as the female he’d met upon his arrival strode up to the circular table, wrote for a long minute on a tablet, then looked up at him and walked over.

“Mr. O’Neill will be settled in his room in a few minutes. Why don’t you get yourself some coffee, and when you get back, I’ll have more news for you, Mr.---?”

Teal’c frowned. “Where is O’Neill now?”

“Upstairs in ortho. They did some x-rays and are probably splinting his arm now. Don’t worry, it’s all routine stuff.”

Ortho, x-rays—how could it be that a people who shared his language were so incomprehensible? But it seemed as though O’Neill was receiving necessary care, even if he was not where Teal’c thought him to be. That was disconcerting, but Teal’c made himself try to sound more as Daniel Jackson did when he was attempting mediation. “I wish to see him.”

“As soon as we can do that, we’ll let you know, I promise, Mr.---?”

He made an effort not to show his displeasure at her answer, unwilling to risk the delay that her wrath might cause. “I do not like ‘coffee’,” he said reluctantly instead.

“We have tea and cocoa, too, but it’s your call. Are you gonna tell me your name or not?”

Teal’c raised an eyebrow in surprise. She hadn’t even asked. He considered using Raymond again, but the SGC had not known who he was as a result and that was also an obstacle he would not risk. They knew O’Neill’s name now, anyway. “Teal’c.”

“Tea—lk,” she repeated uncertainly. “Is that African?”            

“No.”

“Uh-huh. Well, I’ll come tell you when Mr. O’Neill’s ready.” She strode away.

He sat and continued to wait. Watched as the flashing lights of the vehicle they had brought O’Neill in reappeared outside the glass doors, and a small group of Tau’ri rushed in with another wheeled bed. He could not see much of the figure on the bed, only the blood that covered it. A dazed human male no older than O’Neill followed, eyes fixed on the bed, and was immediately taken aside by the same woman in pink who had talked to Teal’c, her gaze and touch gentle with this one who had been wounded in spirit. Fire and ice in the same people—it never ceased to marvel him.

She led the man into another room, then reappeared and crossed to Teal’c. “You ready to see John?”

Teal’c looked at her, baffled. “I do not know this ‘John’.”

She frowned back at him. “Your friend? Jonathan O’Neill? They’ve got him settled in a room now.”

He would have protested there was some error, but it had not escaped his notice the Tau’ri sometimes went by many names. O’Neill himself seemed to be “Jack,” “Colonel,” and “Colonel O’Neill” depending on the speaker, as well as several other less complimentary names Teal’c had heard, but that he did not think were used in O’Neill’s presence. Perhaps this “John-a-than” was such another name. For all he knew, it was a practice of such places of healing.

Besides which, he wanted to see O’Neill, and if agreeing attained that objective, she could call him whatever she wished.

“I am ready.”

“Okay, the elevator’s right there. Go up to the third floor, and his room’s 323, along the left hallway.”

He bowed his thanks and followed her directions. The elevator door already stood open, and thankfully this, at least, he’d learned from the SGC. Teal’c stepped inside, glanced over the panel, and pushed the numeral for three.

The box seemed to travel slower here than at the SGC, but it rose obediently, and opened a few moments later, although the numeral lit above the door was “2.” Apparently it had been summoned by another, as a young Tau’ri male stepped inside and pushed a higher numeral. And turned to grin at Teal’c as the door slid shut. “You want a cigar?” he asked, holding out an object Teal’c did not recognize.

“For what purpose?” he asked politely. Was this another tradition in this hospital, perhaps something he would need to find O’Neill?

“Just had a boy, first one. Ten fingers and toes—that’s good, right?” He clapped Teal’c companionably on the shoulder and held out the object again.

Ah. It was a tribute. This was a custom Teal’c could understand, and pride he still remembered. He took the object and smiled. “May he grow to be brave and strong,” Teal’c said, one father to another.

The man looked briefly perplexed, but not enough to ruin his joy. “Uh, thanks. That sounds good. I’m kinda hoping for a good hitter, or maybe a killer pitch. Another Babe Ruth or DiMaggio.”

The words made no sense, but the sentiment did. Teal’c didn’t even try to answer, just nodded once.

The elevator door opened again, now under a lit “3,” and Teal’c strode out, receiving another slap of the shoulder on the way. His mind was elsewhere now, and he glanced down more white hallways on either side, then turned to the left.

“You here to see Mr. O’Neill?”

This female had skin the color of honey and a blue and white outfit, but the same air of authority as the one on the lower level. Teal’c stopped instantly. “I am.”

“Down there, on the left,” she pointed. “But don’t stay too long—he’s kinda groggy from the painkillers and he needs his rest.” Then she stepped around him and disappeared before he could respond.

Teal’c pressed his lips together and continued down the hallway, turning where she’d indicated and where the sign next to the door said “323.”

O’Neill.

Teal’c felt the sudden pull of belonging, of being anchored again in the midst of a great unknown. Among the vast strangeness of this world, here finally was something familiar. Someone familiar. Someone he trusted. And a reason again for being there.

Teal’c silently approached the bed, taking in the room and its occupant in an all-seeing glance. O’Neill lay still and pale in the bed, eyes shut. His arm was now encased in a device made of metal and the Tau’ri plastic, and was suspended slightly above him. A bandage covered most of one eye and the area above it up into his hair, and he breathed shallowly, as one for whom it hurt to do so. Bags of liquid were suspended around him, and behind him, a machine that divined the rhythm of his heart traced each beat. He did not look well, but he was alive and no longer seemed in danger of death. And for that, Teal’c was more relieved than he could comprehend or express.

There was a logic to his relief, of course. He had been alone with O’Neill when the Tau’ri had been injured, and Teal’c had emerged unscathed. Perhaps there would be suspicion of what had occurred, of whether Teal’c was responsible. And his strongest ally among the Tau’ri lay insensate, in no condition to vouch for his innocence. If such a thing had transpired while Teal’c had been in Apophis’ service, the outsider would have been executed without delay.

No suspicion seemed forthcoming here, however; indeed, they were trusting him to be alone with the vulnerable O’Neill. Nor would Captain Carter nor Daniel Jackson have recommended otherwise. No, no matter what logic dictated, the relief he felt was not for his own safety.

_Your friend lying in there._

Teal’c’s hand curled into a fist. What was he to do now? He had no experience with this. Wounded Jaffa disappeared, either returning again for service when they were once more whole, or never seen again. There was no gain in visiting one who was incapacitated. And yet here he stood, frustrated in his helplessness, uncertain of his place, grieved beyond expectation at the injury of a single Tau’ri, but still not wishing to be anywhere else. His soul had quieted in this peaceful room, the tautness of his muscles easing from battle-readiness to rest. It was as when he returned infrequently from his service to Apophis to spend some time with his family.

Teal’c glowered at the wall. Why would he think of this now?

O’Neill stirred, gingerly. His mouth twitched, a frown appearing between his eyes. The realization of a warrior even in half-sleep that something was wrong, that he needed to be on guard. Teal’c straightened. “All is well, O’Neill,” he said quietly.

The frown only deepened, and finally O’Neill’s unbandanged eye opened part way. Whether it saw him or not, Teal’c was uncertain, until its wandering focus stopped on his face and a small grin pulled at O’Neill’s mouth, the frown fading away. “Teal’c,” he murmured.

He bowed fractionally, offering a small smile of his own. “It is I.”

“Wha’ happened?”

“A beloved creature collided with your vehicle. Do you not remember?”

“B’love—huh?” O’Neill shook his head weakly. “Never mind. You ‘kay?”

“I am well.”

“Good.” A long blink. “’S isn’t ’firmary.”

“No. We were taken to the local Tau’ri hospital.”

“Mmm.” He dragged a tongue over dry lips, and Teal’c looked around for some water to offer him.

There was what looked like a pitcher nearby, and plastic containers, and his attempt at pouring water from one into the other proved successful. Teal’c lifted O’Neill’s head gently and held the cup to his mouth until he had drained half of it.

“That’s good, thanks.”

“You are welcome.” The container, he returned to the table beside the bed.

O’Neill lay in silence, drifting in near sleep as his eyes opened and closed heavily. “T…” he muttered just when Teal’c was certain he would sleep now. “Not ’xactly part of Earth I was thinkin’…showin’ ya.”

“I regret also I was unable to prevent this occurrence,” Teal’c said formally. How often had he heard others say that to Apophis, only to be executed moments later?

“No…y’did good. Got me here, saved my…” O’Neill’s words were slurring with fatigue, but his eyes were still sharp as he dragged them open again to look at Teal’c. “Ask ’em t’call Daniel…pick you up.”

“Daniel Jackson and Captain Carter have been alerted. They are to arrive at any time.”

“Swell…” Another hint of a smile. “Glad yer here—thanks for savin’…” His eyes had closed and his voice trailed off to nothing as he lost to sleep.

Teal’c stood there another minute, his hands behind his back, waiting to make sure O’Neill truly was asleep, not yet wanting to leave somehow. _Glad you’re here._ That certainly was not something he’d ever heard from his “god.” And when had Apophis ever worried about his Jaffa, let alone when the Goa’uld himself was in difficulty? O’Neill would not even know how much Teal’c had discovered and learned that evening.

_Glad you’re here._

Teal’c bowed his head respectfully, touched. “As am I.”

 

The female had said not to stay with O’Neill too long for risk of tiring him, although Teal’c didn’t see how that would happen when O’Neill was sleeping. Still, it would not do to break the rules of the hospital. He did not know the penalties for doing so and did not wish to be restricted from visiting again, and so some minutes later, he finally stepped out the room, wondering where he was to go now.

“Teal’c!”

The familiar voice from down the hall turned his head to the sight of Daniel Jackson hurrying toward him, his hair flopping into his face with each step. He lurched to a halt in front of Teal’c.

“Are you okay?”

It was strange that everyone should worry about his fate when the leader had been the one injured, but Teal’c nodded. “I am unharmed, Daniel Jackson.”

The Tau’ri finally craned to look past him, concern vivid in his face. “How’s Jack?”

“O’Neill is resting. He was severely injured in the collision; however, I have been told he will recover.” Daniel Jackson would be a better judge of how trustworthy this information was, however, and Teal’c watched his reaction closely.

The worry only increased in the face of this man who did not hide his feelings well, but there was also relief there. Teal’c’s faith increased a cautious fraction, as well.

Daniel Jackson pulled his gaze away from the door behind Teal’c and looked at him intently.

“Yeah, the collision—what happened exactly?”

“A beast ran out of the forest and struck O’Neill’s vehicle. It overturned.”

Daniel Jackson grabbed Teal’c’s arm seemingly without realizing it. “My God…are you sure you’re okay?”

He almost smiled. “I am uninjured. It was O’Neill who received the greater force of the collision.”

“Yeah, that sounds like Jack. Look, uh, Teal’c, I’m just gonna go in and…see him for a minute, okay? Then we’ll figure out what to do with…” A vague hand gesture completed the statement, Daniel Jackson drawn to the room behind Teal’c like a _chelat_ to fresh meat. But Teal’c understood. He nodded his agreement even though Daniel Jackson no longer looked at him, and watched him disappear through the doorway.

It had been clear to Teal’c from the beginning that O’Neill had a special bond with the young scholar. At first, he had thought it the only reason Daniel Jackson was a member of SG-1, but quickly had come to realize what an asset the only non-warrior on the team was. The knowledge and perspective of the young Tau’ri had saved Teal’c’s life more than once already. But that did not alter the fact he and O’Neill had a bond of experience and loss Teal’c and Captain Carter did not share, a bond Teal’c’s own actions had helped forge. His choice of Daniel Jackson’s wife and O’Neill’s young friend Skaara as hosts for the beloved and son of Apophis would haunt him always.

And yet neither Tau’ri seemed to revile him for it. O’Neill accepted Teal’c freely as friend, and while Daniel Jackson had understandably taken longer to grow comfortable with the Jaffa’s presence, there was an ease now in his bearing that said he also had forgiven the past. There had been honest concern in his voice as he’d asked about Teal’c just then, and had done so even before inquiring about O’Neill. Teal’c was uncertain he would have been as understanding or without suspicion had their roles been reversed, but he was grateful. It had helped ease the pain in his own heart over the many cruelties he’d inflicted as First Prime of Apophis.

Teal’c took a breath and turned once more to proceed down the hall.

And another familiar figure appeared, rushing out of the elevator and immediately marching toward him, frown fading at the sight of Teal’c.

“Teal’c! Thank God you’re all right. How’s the colonel?”

He cocked his head. “Captain Carter. He has been injured, but is recovering. Daniel Jackson is with him now.”

She clutched the large helmet she carried against herself. “Daniel’s here, that’s good. How’s the colonel? Has he been awake at all?”

“Indeed. I have spoken to him twice. It was he who instructed me how to call for assistance.”

Captain Carter shook her head. “The phone—I’m sorry, Teal’c, we should have thought of teaching you that before. But it sounds like you did a good job. So what happened? The doctor downstairs said you were in an accident?”

Daniel Jackson was a…friend, but Captain Carter was a superior officer as well. Teal’c straightened as he reported. “We were returning to the SGC when a beloved animal ran out from the trees and struck O’Neill’s vehicle, turning it onto its side. I was able to remove O’Neill from the vehicle and call for assistance.”

Captain Carter’s eyes had widened. “Wait—a ‘beloved’ animal?”

Teal’c nodded. “The uniformed Tau’ri called it ‘dear.’” Perhaps now was when he’d learn the penalty for killing such a beast, and he wondered briefly if there were some rites that could be done in atonement for its death.

“Oh.” Her face cleared, then she hid a smile as she often did when he had confused Tau’ri custom yet again. “No, Teal’c, that’s not ‘dear’ like ‘beloved,’ that’s the name of the animal, a ‘deer.’ It’s even spelled differently.”

Ah. Teal’c inclined his head stiffly, relieved and embarrassed at once. The Tau’ri had several such words that had more than one meaning, for no other reason Teal’c could discern but to confuse.

Captain Carter’s expression was not mocking, however, and her amusement appeared to lessen her worry. She shifted her stance to one more casual, prompting Teal’c to do the same. “So a deer ran into the truck? Wow, I guess we were lucky it wasn’t worse. Are you sure you’re not hurt?” She scrutinized him with new attention.

“My injuries were not severe—my symbiote has already healed them.”

Her hand was warm on his arm; the Tau’ri used physical contact frequently, usually as an additional form of communication. Teal’c still found it disconcerting…but also not unappealing. “Well, thank God for Junior, then…Daniel!”

That last was to Daniel Jackson, who had just come out of O’Neill’s room. Teal’c turned to regard the scholar, and saw signs of both anxiety and comfort in the young man. He brightened at the sight of Captain Carter.

“Hey, Sam. He’s sleeping but if you want to go see him…”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. How’re you doing?” She touched Daniel Jackson’s hand, as well.

“I’m…uh, relieved, actually.” He ran a hand through his hair, brushing it briefly out of his face. “They didn’t exactly give me much to go on when they called, so I wasn’t sure what to expect but…he looks good. Well, he’s looked better, but considering I’ve seen him dead and de-evolved and really, really old, he doesn’t look so bad.” That faint smile again.

Captain Carter returned it. “The doctor I talked to said he broke his arm and some ribs, but there wasn’t enough internal damage for them to have to operate, and the damage to his head was superficial. Teal’c says he was conscious on the scene—I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

That earned him Daniel Jackson’s full attention again. “Oh, yeah?”

“Indeed. O’Neill instructed me in the use of his ‘fone.’”

“Oh, geez, the phone, right—we should’ve thought of that. Well, with Jack laid up for a while, we’ll probably have some downtime—Teal’c, how would you like to do a take a course in Survival 101 on Earth: using the phone, money, driving—”

“—places in town,” Captain Carter added.

“Right. Everything you need to know to get around.”

To find his place among them. That had never been a concern on any planet he had been on under Apophis’ command, but Teal’c found the idea surprisingly appealing. He would never become a Tau’ri, but to be accepted among them was an unexpected honor indeed. Even in his short time at the SGC, he had become certain he’d chosen his new allies well, but Teal’c had never expected to find himself caring for any of them. Nor being cared about in return. He bowed his agreement.

“I’ll be right back,” Captain Carter said in the silence that followed, and slipped into O’Neill’s room.

Daniel Jackson watched her go, then turned back to Teal’c. “If Sam’s right, they’re not gonna keep Jack very long, maybe a few days at the most, so I don’t think he’s going to be moved to the SGC. I don’t live too far from here—you could come stay with me until he’s released. I’ll be coming by every day anyway to make sure he doesn’t drive the staff crazy—you know how Jack gets when he’s not feeling well.”

Teal’c raised one eyebrow. “I do,” he said shortly.

“Good,” Daniel Jackson nodded and crossed his arms. “We can get started on those lessons right away, then. I’m really sorry, Teal’c, I guess none of us ever thought about what would happen if there was an emergency you had to deal with alone. If Jack hadn’t been able to talk you through calling for help….” He shook his head, disturbed. Teal’c knew what he was thinking, imagining O’Neill dying out on the road without assistance. The Tau’ri, however, astonished him with a compassionate gaze. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been for you, being helpless like that.”

Teal’c met his gaze forthrightly, and let Daniel Jackson see in him what he would.

He’d had little skill in reading others before then, especially those not of Chulak, but Teal’c had learned much since joining SG-1. He could see the warmth that kindled now in his new friend’s eyes, underlying the humor with which he spoke. “The hospital wasn’t exactly one of the first cultures of Earth we were hoping to introduce you to. Then again, neither is hockey—I guess we haven’t made a very good impression so far.”

“I do not agree, Daniel Jackson.”

The young Tau’ri looked at him a long moment, then quietly smiled.

Captain Carter rejoined them in the hall. “Did I miss something?” she asked with deliberate cheer. She had been shaken at seeing their leader thus, too, Teal’c could tell, but there was no despair in her eyes, either. Apparently O’Neill would indeed recover, and the clenched fist in Teal’c uncurled completely.

“No, Teal’c and I were just talking how spending an evening watching a hockey game, getting in an accident, then spending a few hours at the hospital wasn’t exactly the best welcome to our planet.”

She grimaced playfully. “Yeah, that’s right. Don’t worry, Teal’c, we’ll make it up to you. Next time we’ll go out for dinner or ice cream or something.”

“Right,” Daniel Jackson nodded.

A brief silence. Captain Carter took a breath. “So…I just talked to the nurse and she said the colonel would probably sleep through the night. I think I’m gonna go home and get some sleep, come back in the morning.”

“You talk to—”

“I’ll call General Hammond in the morning. Even if he assigns us a temporary substitute for the colonel, it’ll be a few days before we go on another mission.”

“Okay. Uh, Teal’c’s gonna stay with me until Jack gets released—we were planning on coming in in the morning, too. You ready to leave now, Teal’c?” They both looked at him inquiringly.

He frowned back. They expected him to leave already? He was finally satisfied now that O’Neill would recover from his injuries, but he was yet unconscious, vulnerable in this unguarded place. Had he not said he was glad Teal’c was there? And the freshly injured often deteriorated before they improved. Would there be no one here for him if O’Neill was similarly stricken? No. Teal’c owed him far more than that. He raised his chin. “I will remain here.”

Daniel Jackson looked puzzled, Captain Carter surprised. “Teal’c—the colonel’s in good hands here, I promise. He just needs some sleep now. We’ll see him in the morning.”

“Jack won’t even know you’re here. Besides, there’s no place to sleep here, Teal’c. I thought we agreed you were going to stay at my place.”

“I would be honored,” Teal’c inclined his head. One did not invite an enemy into one’s home, and the gesture hadn’t gone unnoticed. “But I wish to remain here this evening.”

Daniel Jackson and Captain Carter looked at each other. “Are you sure?” Captain Carter asked.

“I am.”

“Well…okay. We’ll see you in the morning then.”

“You can call me if you change your mind—they’ll do that for you at the front desk if you ask,” Daniel Jackson added, then waved his fingers before walking away. It was a gesture of leave-taking, Teal’c had learned, although the Tau’ri’s expression remained skeptical as he left.

Teal’c stood impassive, not letting the small uncertainty he felt show as his two teammates departed without him. They knew more of this world than he, of its places of healing, of its rules and customs. Perhaps his insistence on remaining would be taken as a sign of mistrust in those who tended O’Neill, or they would not allow him to stay. And despite Daniel Jackson’s assurance, Teal’c was still uncertain if he would be able to reach them should a problem occur.

He turned, walked the few steps so that he could look into O’Neill’s room. Truly he looked as though he were recovering, and Teal’c allowed himself a small smile. As strange as this place might be, as different as the customs, they valued life as his people did without Apophis’ taint, even the life of one they did not know. Indeed, this evening had shown him their similarities were almost as many as their differences, and that was…comforting.

As for O’Neill, the man slept still, relaxed in a way he was not often while awake, unguarded. Confident of his safety. He would not know if he was alone, but he’d fallen asleep knowing Teal’c was there— _glad_ Teal’c was there—and such security followed one into sleep.

And Teal’c would know.

Yes, this was his place. For although O’Neill was a stranger to those who cared for him, he mattered greatly to Teal’c. And that was yet another thing he had the Tau’ri to thank for.

But the female in blue had requested he not stay in O’Neill’s room too long, and it was wise to know one’s territory. O’Neill himself would approve of surveying and familiarizing, and Teal’c would be close if he were needed.

Certain now of his place and in his element again, Teal’c clasped his hands behind his back and, looking both ways down the hall, set off in the most promising direction to explore.

 

“So, Jack, you sure you have all the medications?”

“Yes, Daniel.”

“And the list of doctor’s instructions?”

A sigh. “Yes, Daniel.”

Teal’c traded an amused look with Captain Carter, who walked beside him carrying two plants in containers and several brightly colored floating objects tethered with ribbons. They served no purpose Teal’c could see, but then, neither had the plants, which had apparently been chosen for appearance and not medicinal value.

“Oh, what about the—”

“ _Yes,_ Daniel.”

Daniel Jackson, on Teal’c’s other side, made a face. “Fine, next time you call me at 2 a.m. to ask me how you—”

“Hey! I thought we weren’t gonna mention that again.” O’Neill was still weak, slumped in the wheeled-chair Teal’c was pushing, his voice tired and not without pain, but neither his humor nor his authority had diminished.

“Riiight.” Teal’c knew Daniel Jackson well enough to know this was not capitulation, merely a temporary reprieve. He nearly smiled again.

“Are you sure we’re going the right way, Teal’c? I thought the elevator’s this way.”

“That is the cha’pel, Captain Carter,” Teal’c answered, not breaking his stride. He had spent considerable time in the small, quiet room lit only with candles. It had been a surprising find in the middle of the busy, bright building, an ideal place to _Kelno’reem_. Proof again that the Tau’ri were not as different from the Jaffa as Teal’c had once supposed.

“Actually, it’s pronounced ‘chapel,” Daniel Jackson corrected. “It’s a place people can go when they’re—”

“Teal’c, you going home?” Another female in blue and white who also worked daily on that level, passed them in the hall, smiling at Teal’c.

“Indeed, Stacy. Thank you for your service.” He nodded with a bare smile.

Three pairs of eyes turned to him, O’Neill’s quickly losing focus as he tried to look back at Teal’c.

“‘Stacy’?” Daniel Jackson finally said.

“How come I got Irene, all 200 pounds of her, and you got _Stacy_?” O’Neill grumbled.           

Teal’c knew when to stay silent for his own good, but smiled inside.

“So…where were we supposed to do check-out?” Captain Carter spoke up, looking around as they turned the corner in the hall.

“At the table on the first floor,” Teal’c said smoothly. “It is this way, Captain Carter.”

“Admissions, I guess,” Daniel Jackson added.

Teal’c tilted his head. “Since O’Neill was admitted at the Emergency Room table, we must return there before departing.”

Another staring silence.

“Did Jack…?” Daniel Jackson finally asked. O’Neill turned to stare at him with a look of disbelief. “Uh, never mind.”

“Hey, Teal’c, since you’re going to be staying with the colonel until he gets back on his feet, Daniel and I were thinking you might like a couple of nights off—er, out,” Captain Carter quickly amended with a glance at O’Neill. “If there’s some place around here you’d like to go, one of us would be happy to take you.”

He didn’t even need to consider that. “I am grateful for your offer, Captain Carter, but I believe I have seen enough of this world for one time.”

“Yeah, nothing like a little trip to the hospital to kill your curiosity,” O’Neill said. He grimaced in pain then, curling his good arm around the splinted one, and Daniel Jackson silently put a hand on his shoulder. Teal’c didn’t miss the gesture, and neither did O’Neill, who gave the scholar a tired smile. Then turned to Captain Carter, his expression growing less sincere. “’Sides, we’re gonna be busy. I have a ton of hockey games on tape—we’ll make some popcorn, have a few beers—”

“Soda for you, Jack—you’re on medication,” Daniel Jackson interrupted.

“—or some Cokes, order a pizza—it’ll be great.” He yawned widely around his grin.

Teal’c’s mouth quirked as he turned back to Captain Carter. “Perhaps I was too hasty—“

“Bye, Teal’c—we’ll miss you,” another female spoke as she passed by, smiling at them all.

Teal’c nodded once in parting. “Rochelle.”

Captain Carter was shaking her head but smiling, while Daniel Jackson’s mouth remained open. Perhaps they did not scout here on this world as the Jaffa were taught to do? But O’Neill just snorted, and reached back to pat Teal’c’s hand. “I’m glad you’re on our side, big guy.”

It was lightly spoken, but there was an earnestness to it, and Teal’c was reminded of a similar exchange just a few days before. He had learned much since then, but his answer now was just as sincere as it was then.

“As am I.”

The End


End file.
